KR102425133B1 - Apparatus for processing ultrasound image - Google Patents

Abstract

To an ultrasound image processing apparatus, the ultrasound image processing apparatus includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound data on a body part of a subject from a transducer; an analyzer configured to identify a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image through analysis of an ultrasound image generated based on the acquired ultrasound data; and a controller for displaying information on a selected structure selected by a user from among the plurality of structures on a screen together with the ultrasound image, wherein the body part may be a face part.

Description

Ultrasonic image processing device {APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING ULTRASOUND IMAGE}

The present application relates to an ultrasound image processing apparatus. In particular, the present application relates to an ultrasound image processing apparatus capable of identifying structures such as subcutaneous fat, muscles, blood vessels, and implants in an ultrasound image and displaying the identified structures by coloring them in different colors.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is an apparatus that images an internal tissue of a subject by projecting sound waves (2 to 20 MHz) of a frequency that cannot be heard by humans, that is, an ultrasound signal to the subject and using the reflected ultrasound signal. Such imaging may be possible because ultrasound has different reflectance at the boundary between two different materials.

The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus can visualize muscles, tendons, and many internal organs, their size, structure, and pathological damage in real time as tomographic images using ultrasound. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus has advantages of being inexpensive and easy to move compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or X-ray computed tomography (CT).

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a conventional ultrasound diagnosis apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a conventional ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 1 may include a main body 10 in which a monitor 11 (display unit) is provided and a plurality of ultrasound probes 30 . Each of the plurality of ultrasound probes 30 is coupled to the switch box 31 provided in the device body 10 , the cable 33 connected to the switch box 31 , and the cable 33 to directly execute the ultrasound diagnosis It may include a probe housing (35).

However, in the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, since the probe 30 is generally connected to the device body 10 through the cable 33 , the ultrasound diagnosis is performed only within a range corresponding to the length of the cable 33 from the device body 10 . It is possible to perform and acquire an ultrasound image, and there is a problem in that a subject is limited in taking a diagnosis posture due to the cable 33 .

In addition, in the acquisition of an ultrasound image using an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, in general, a user (medical staff) first applies an ultrasound gel to a target site to acquire an ultrasound image, and then moves the probe held in the hand with respect to the target site. This is done according to (by rubbing), but this ultrasound image acquisition technique has a problem in causing inconvenience to users (medical staff).

The technology that is the background of the present application is disclosed in Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2011-0041122.

The present application is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above. As a conventional probe is connected to a device body through a cable, ultrasound diagnosis is performed only within a range corresponding to the length of the cable from the device body, and ultrasound images are performed. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound image processing apparatus and system that can be obtained and that can solve a problem that a subject is limited in taking a diagnostic posture due to a cable.

The present application is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and in order to obtain an ultrasound image, a user (medical staff) has to directly apply an ultrasound gel to the target site or the front of the probe, and to apply the probe in the hand to the target site An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound image processing apparatus and system capable of solving a problem (conspicuousness) of having to continuously perform an operation for moving the .

However, the technical problems to be achieved by the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the technical problems as described above, and other technical problems may exist.

As a technical means for achieving the above technical problem, an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application includes: an acquisition unit configured to acquire ultrasound data of a body part of a subject from a transducer; an analyzer configured to identify a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image through analysis of an ultrasound image generated based on the acquired ultrasound data; and a controller for displaying information on a selected structure selected by a user from among the plurality of structures on a screen together with the ultrasound image, wherein the body part may be a face part.

In addition, the controller may overlap the information on the selection structure on the ultrasound image and display it on the screen, and control the display form of the selection structure displayed on the screen differently depending on the type of the selection structure. .

In addition, the type of the selected structure is divided into a first type related to an anatomical structure and a second type related to an artificial structure according to the properties of the structure, and the first type includes at least one of muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and subcutaneous fat. , the second type may include at least one of an implant and a lifting wire.

In addition, the analysis unit performs the analysis based on the prior learning items based on a deep learning model in which a plurality of learning ultrasound images are input values and information on the type of a structure matched with each of the plurality of learning ultrasound images is an output value, By applying the ultrasound image as an input to the deep learning model, types of a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image may be identified.

In addition, when a previous ultrasound image previously generated with respect to the body part of the subject before the generation of the ultrasound image exists in the storage unit, the analyzer may include an abnormal structure among the plurality of structures in consideration of the previous ultrasound image. can determine whether In addition, when it is determined that the abnormal structure exists in the analysis unit, the control unit compares the information about the abnormal structure among the plurality of structures with the information about the non-abnormal structure that is not the abnormal structure. It can be controlled to be displayed in an easy-to-use form.

In addition, when the previous ultrasound image exists, the analyzer calculates and calculates a state difference between structures in the ultrasound image based on the structure in the previous ultrasound image through comparison between the ultrasound image and the previous ultrasound image. As a result, among the structures in the ultrasound image, it may be determined that the structure in which the state difference is greater than or equal to a preset difference value compared to the structure in the previous ultrasound image is the abnormal structure.

In addition, the control unit controls the operation of the mask device worn on the subject's face, and the acquisition unit acquires the ultrasound data from the transducer provided in the mask device in response to the control through wireless communication. can do.

In addition, the mask device, the body portion provided in a wearable form on the subject's face; a transducer provided on the inner surface of the body, irradiating an ultrasound signal toward the subject's face, and generating ultrasound data based on the ultrasound signal reflected from the subject; and a movement control unit that connects the transducer and the body to each other and moves the transducer along a preset path formed on the inner surface of the body in response to the control.

In addition, the control unit, when it is sensed that the mask device is normally worn on the subject's face, the transducer moves along the preset path and controls the operation of the mask device to generate the ultrasound data, , the determination of the normal wearing may be made using a light emitting element and a light receiving element disposed to face each other on inner surfaces of both sides of the mask device.

In addition, when it is sensed that the mask device is normally worn on the subject's face, the control unit controls the transducer so that one surface of the transducer exposed toward the subject's face comes into contact with the face. It is possible to perform a control to project and move from the inner surface. In addition, the control unit, when controlling the movement of the transducer with respect to the preset path, a pressure measurement value measured through a pressure sensor provided on one area of one surface of the transducer to have a value belonging to a preset pressure range and the transducer can be moved.

In addition, the mask device, the gel storage unit for storing the ultrasound gel; and a gel supply nozzle unit disposed adjacent to the transducer and supplying the ultrasound gel stored in the gel storage unit toward the face region for application of the ultrasound gel to the face region of the subject. In addition, the controller may control the operation of the gel supply nozzle unit so that the ultrasonic gel is supplied toward the face when the transducer moves along the preset path.

The above-described problem solving means are merely exemplary, and should not be construed as limiting the present application. In addition to the exemplary embodiments described above, additional embodiments may exist in the drawings and detailed description.

According to the above-described means for solving the problems of the present application, it is possible to provide an ultrasound image processing apparatus capable of differently controlling a display form of each structure identified in an ultrasound image. In the present application, when an ultrasound image is displayed on a screen, each structure in the ultrasound image can be divided and displayed in different colors (shapes). The form (shape), location, state, etc. of the structure can be provided so that it can be more intuitively checked and recognized.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present application, ultrasound data can be obtained from a mask device worn on the subject's face through wireless communication, and based on this, an ultrasound image of the subject's face can be obtained. It is possible to perform ultrasound diagnosis and acquire an ultrasound image only within a range corresponding to the length of the cable, and the problem that a subject is limited in taking a diagnosis posture due to the cable can be solved.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present application, ultrasound data for generating an ultrasound image can be easily obtained from the mask device through electronic control of the mask device. The inconvenience of having to continuously move the probe held in the hand with respect to the target site can be eliminated, and the user's convenience can be improved.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present application, the ultrasound gel can be automatically supplied to the subject's face when the transducer is moved. It can eliminate the trouble of having to apply the ultrasonic gel directly to the front of the probe.

However, the effects obtainable herein are not limited to the above-described effects, and other effects may exist.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration example of a conventional ultrasound diagnosis apparatus.
2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an ultrasound image processing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a mask device interworking with an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rear view of a mask device interworking with an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 4 .
6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a plan view of a mask device interworking with an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.
7 is a diagram illustrating examples of (a) and (a) a case in which a transducer does not protrude from an inner surface of the mask device in the mask device interworking with the ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application pertains can easily implement them. However, the present application may be implemented in several different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And in order to clearly explain the present application in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

Throughout this specification, when a part is said to be “connected” to another part, it is not only “directly connected” but also “electrically connected” or “indirectly connected” with another element interposed therebetween. "Including cases where

Throughout this specification, when it is said that a member is positioned "on", "on", "on", "under", "under", or "under" another member, this means that a member is located on the other member. It includes not only the case where they are in contact, but also the case where another member exists between two members.

Throughout this specification, when a part "includes" a component, it means that other components may be further included, rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise stated.

2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an ultrasound image processing system 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a mask device 200 interworking with the ultrasound image processing apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rear view of the mask device 200 interworking with the ultrasound image processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of part A shown in FIG. 4 . 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a plan view of the mask device 200 interworking with the ultrasound image processing apparatus 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the ultrasound image processing system 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is referred to as the present system 1000 , and the ultrasound image processing apparatus 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application is referred to as the present apparatus 100 . decide to do

2 to 6 , the system 1000 may include the apparatus 100 and the mask device 200 .

The apparatus 100 is an ultrasound image processing apparatus, and may generate an ultrasound image based on ultrasound data obtained from the mask device 200 , analyze the generated ultrasound image, and display the generated ultrasound image on a screen.

The mask device 200 may be a device worn on the face of the subject 2 . The mask device 200 may irradiate an ultrasound signal toward the face of the subject 2 and generate ultrasound data based on the ultrasound signal reflected from the subject 2 . The mask device 200 may transmit the generated ultrasound data to the apparatus 100 through the wireless communication 300 .

That is, the device 100 and the mask device 200 may be connected through wireless communication 300 to transmit/receive data. The wireless communication 300 may be, for example, radio frequency (RF) communication, near field communication (NFC) communication, Bluetooth communication, beacon communication, etc., but is not limited thereto, and various wireless communication technologies are can be applied.

The apparatus 100 may include an acquisition unit 110 , an analysis unit 120 , a control unit 130 , and a storage unit 140 .

The acquisition unit 110 may acquire ultrasound data for the body part 3 of the subject 2 from the transducer 220 . In this case, the transducer 220 may mean a transducer 220 provided in the mask device 200 . The acquisition unit 110 receives the ultrasound data generated by the transducer 220 in the mask device 200 from the transducer 220 through the wireless communication 300 , so that the body part 3 of the subject 2 is ) to obtain ultrasound data.

Here, as the body part 3 of the subject 2 from which the ultrasound data is acquired is a type of the mask device 200 that can be worn on the face of the subject 2, for example, the face of the subject 2 It can mean part. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and as the body part 3 of the subject 2 , at least a part of the body part of the subject 2 may be applied.

The analyzer 120 may identify a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image through analysis of the ultrasound image generated based on the ultrasound data acquired by the acquirer 110 . Here, the structure refers to a structure existing in the body part 3 of the subject 2 observable using an ultrasound signal, and may include anatomical structures and artificial structures.

The anatomical structure corresponds to a structure that exists by itself in the human body (body part) of the subject 2, and may include at least one of muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and subcutaneous fat. The artificial structure corresponds to a structure that is artificially manufactured (generated) and inserted (injected) into the body part 3 of the subject 2, unlike an anatomical structure that exists by itself in the human body of the subject 2, At least one of an implant and a lifting wire may be included.

However, examples of such anatomical structures and artificial structures are only examples for helping understanding of the present application, and are not limited thereto, and various types of structures related to the body part 3 may be considered. Illustratively, the anatomical structure may further include a skeleton (bone). In addition, implants made of various materials such as silicone implants, saline implants, The Blumen implants, and hydrogel implants may be considered as implants within the anatomical structure.

The controller 130 may display information on a selected structure selected by the user among a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image identified by the analysis unit 120 together with the ultrasound image on the screen. Here, the user may mean an operator, a medical team, a doctor, etc., but is not limited thereto.

The selected structure means a structure selected by a user input from among a plurality of structures identified in the ultrasound image, and may mean at least one structure among the plurality of structures.

The control unit 130 may display information on the selected structure together with the ultrasound image on the screen of the display panel provided in the apparatus 100, or, although not shown in the drawing, communicates with the apparatus 100 in a network may be displayed on the screen of a user terminal (not shown) connected through the .

Here, the user terminal (not shown) means PCS (Personal Communication System), GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), PHS (Personal Handyphone System), PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), IMT ( International Mobile Telecommunication)-2000, CDMA(Code Division Multiple Access)-2000, W-CDMA(WCode Division Multiple Access), Wibro(Wireless Broadband Internet) terminal, Smartphone, SmartPad, Tablet PC, It may include, but is not limited to, all types of wired/wireless communication devices such as notebook computers, wearable devices, and desktop PCs.

In addition, as the network communication connecting the device 100 and the user terminal (not shown), for example, a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) network, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, and a World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) network. Network, Internet, LAN (Local Area Network), Wireless LAN (Wireless Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), PAN (Personal Area Network), Bluetooth (Bluetooth) network, NFC (Near Field Communication) network , a satellite broadcasting network, an analog broadcasting network, a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) network, etc. may be included, but is not limited thereto, and various types of wired/wireless communication may be applied.

The controller 130 may overlap the information on the selected structure on the ultrasound image and display it on the screen. In this case, the controller 130 may control the display form of the selection structure displayed on the screen differently according to the type of the selection structure. Here, the display form may include at least one of a color and a shape, but is not limited thereto.

The controller 130 may control the display form (color or shape) of the selected structure displayed on the screen according to what the selected structure is. That is, when displaying at least one structure among the plurality of structures on the screen, the controller 130 may display each of the plurality of structures on the screen in different colors.

Here, the type of the selected structure may be divided into a first type related to an anatomical structure and a second type related to an artificial structure according to properties of the structure. Here, the first type may include at least one of muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and subcutaneous fat, and the second type may include at least one of an implant and a lifting wire.

For example, when the selected structure is a muscle, the controller 130 may control the portion (region) corresponding to the muscle to be displayed overlapping in red on the ultrasound image displayed on the screen. That is, the controller 130 may display the portion (region) of the structure corresponding to the muscle in red, overlapping it on the ultrasound image, and displaying it on the screen.

As another example, when the selected structure is an implant, the controller 130 may display a portion (region) corresponding to the implant in the ultrasound image in blue, overlapping it on the ultrasound image, and displaying it on the screen. As another example, when the selected structure is subcutaneous fat, the controller 1300 may display a portion (region) corresponding to the subcutaneous fat in the ultrasound image in yellow along with the ultrasound image.

As such, when displaying at least one structure among a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image on the screen, the control unit 130 may display each structure in a different color to overlap the ultrasound image and display it on the screen together.

In general, since an ultrasound image is expressed like a black-and-white image, it is difficult for a user other than an experienced specialist to immediately check the shape and location of each structure in the ultrasound image by viewing the ultrasound image. On the other hand, when the apparatus 100 displays the ultrasound image on the screen, it is possible to distinguish and display each structure in the ultrasound image with different colors (shapes). It is possible to provide a location, status, etc. that can be checked and recognized more intuitively.

At this time, the analysis unit 120 uses a plurality of training ultrasound images as input values and an ultrasound image generated based on the deep learning model-based pre-learning items, in which information on the type of structure matched with each of the plurality of training ultrasound images is output as an output value. analysis can be performed. Through this, the analysis unit 120 applies the ultrasound image generated to the deep learning model (pre-trained deep learning model) as an input, and identifies the types of a plurality of structures (in particular, the types of each of the plurality of structures) in the ultrasound image. can do.

That is, the analyzer 120 may identify (classify) each type of a plurality of structures from the generated ultrasound image by using the deep learning model.

The controller 130 may display information on the selected structure selected by the user together with the ultrasound image on the screen based on the type of each of the plurality of structures in the ultrasound image identified using the deep learning model.

Specifically, the deep learning model considered by the apparatus 100 may be a neural network model trained to output a type of a structure included in a corresponding ultrasound image with respect to a given ultrasound image. To this end, the deep learning model uses an ultrasound image of a body part (particularly, a face part) of a plurality of subjects as an input value as a training ultrasound image (a plurality of training ultrasound images), and matches each of the input training ultrasound images. It can be learned to output information about the type of structure to be used as an output value.

The analysis unit 120 provides an ultrasound image generated using the ultrasound data acquired in the acquisition unit 110 as an input to the previously learned deep learning model, based on the previously learned details of the deep learning model, and as a result Information on each type of a structure (ie, a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image) corresponding to the ultrasound image generated from the deep learning model may be acquired (output, identified).

The deep learning model may mean an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm model, a machine learning (machine learning) model, a neural network model (an artificial neural network model), a neurofuzzy model, and the like. In addition, the deep learning model is exemplarily a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a deep neural network, and various neural network models that have been previously known or developed in the future. can be applied.

In addition, before the ultrasound image is generated based on the ultrasound data obtained from the acquirer 110 , the analysis unit 120 stores the previously generated ultrasound image of the body part 3 of the subject 2 in the storage unit ( 140) can be checked.

The analysis unit 120 determines whether a previous ultrasound image previously generated with respect to the body part 3 of the subject 2 before the generation of the ultrasound image exists in the storage unit 140 (if it is confirmed that it exists), the previous ultrasound image In consideration of the ultrasound image, it may be determined whether an abnormal structure exists among a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image.

In this case, in the following description, the ultrasound image generated based on the ultrasound data acquired from the acquirer 110 may be referred to as an ultrasound image this time. Also, before the current ultrasound image is generated, an ultrasound image (ie, an ultrasound image that has already been generated in the past and stored in the storage unit) that has already been generated for the body part 3 of the subject 2 in the past is the previous ultrasound. An image may be referred to differently.

The storage unit 140 may store an ultrasound image generated based on ultrasound data obtained from the mask device 200 . The storage unit 140 may store a plurality of ultrasound images of body parts of a plurality of subjects. That is, the plurality of ultrasound images stored in the storage 140 may be for a plurality of subjects. The storage unit 140 may store not only the ultrasound image but also information on a plurality of structures corresponding to the ultrasound image identified by the analysis unit 120 .

When the acquisition unit 110 acquires ultrasound data for the body part 3 of the subject 2, the analysis unit 120 stores the data of the subject 2 in the storage unit 140 before generating the ultrasound image this time. It can be checked whether there is a pre-stored previous ultrasound image for the body part 3 . In this case, if there is a previous ultrasound image, the analyzer 120 may determine whether an abnormal structure having an abnormality exists among a plurality of structures in the current ultrasound image in consideration of the previous ultrasound image.

In this case, when there is a previous ultrasound image, the analyzer 120 may calculate a state difference between structures in the current ultrasound image based on the structures in the previous ultrasound image through comparison between the current ultrasound image and the previous ultrasound image. . Here, the state difference may mean a size difference or a position difference. As a result of the calculation, the analysis unit 120 detects a structure whose state difference is greater than or equal to a preset difference value (ie, a preset size difference value or a preset position difference value) from the structures in the previous ultrasound image among the structures in the current ultrasound image. It can be considered as a structure.

When it is determined by the analysis unit 120 that an abnormal structure exists in this ultrasound image, the controller 130 recognizes or compares the information on the abnormal structure among the plurality of structures with the information on the non-abnormal structure rather than the abnormal structure. It can be controlled to be displayed in a form that is easy to identify.

For example, as a result of performing a comparison between the current ultrasound image and the previous ultrasound image, if the size of the implant in the current ultrasound image and the size of the implant in the previous ultrasound image differ by more than a preset size difference value, the analysis unit 120 may It can be determined that the implant in this ultrasound image is an abnormal structure. Thereafter, since the abnormal structure is present in the current ultrasound image, the controller 130 provides information about the abnormal structure (eg, an implant) among a plurality of structures in the present ultrasound image to a non-abnormal structure (eg, a muscle, Blood vessels, nerves, subcutaneous fat, lifting wire) can be controlled to be displayed in a form that is easier to recognize or identify.

Here, displaying the abnormal structure in a form that is easy to recognize or identify compared to the non-abnormal structure means to display at least one of a visually emphasized form, an expanded form, a form accompanying an auditory effect, and a dynamic animation form can mean

For example, it is assumed that the analysis unit 120 identifies the implant and subcutaneous fat as a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image (this ultrasound image). In this case, the analysis unit 120 may determine whether a previous ultrasound image exists in the storage unit 140 , and if there is a previous ultrasound image, the analysis unit 120 may compare the previous ultrasound image and the ultrasound image (this ultrasound image) with each other. As a result of comparison, if the size of the implant in the current ultrasound image differs from the size of the implant in the previous ultrasound image by, for example, a smaller difference than a preset size difference value, the analysis unit 120 determines that the implant is initially placed on the face. Since the size of the implant is smaller compared to when it is inserted, it is determined that it is necessary to perform correction (supplementation) or reoperation for the implant, and the implant can be determined to be an abnormal structure.

On the other hand, in the case of subcutaneous fat, if a difference in status does not appear by more than a preset difference value compared with the previous ultrasound image, the analysis unit 120 may determine that the subcutaneous fat is an abnormal structure. If the difference between the thickness of the subcutaneous fat in the current ultrasound image and the thickness of the subcutaneous fat in the previous ultrasound image differs by more than a preset difference value (preset thickness value), the structure corresponding to the subcutaneous fat in the ultrasound image is abnormal. It can be considered as a structure.

According to this, when it is determined that the prosthesis among the plurality of structures is an abnormal structure, and it is determined that the subcutaneous fat among the plurality of structures is an abnormal structure, on the ultrasound image displayed on the screen, the controller 130 detects the implant that is an abnormal structure. It is possible to control the corresponding part (region) to be displayed in a form that is easy to recognize or identify compared to the part (region) corresponding to the subcutaneous fat, which is a non-abnormal structure. In other words, on the ultrasound image displayed on the screen, the controller 130 visually emphasizes the shape and size of the part (region) corresponding to the implant, which is an abnormal structure, more than the part (region) corresponding to the subcutaneous fat, which is an abnormal structure, is expanded. It is possible to control the display to be displayed as at least one of a fixed form, a form accompanying an auditory effect, and a dynamic animation form.

That is, the control unit 130 controls the abnormal structure to be displayed in a form that is easier to recognize or identify than the non-ideal structure among the plurality of structures (in other words, the abnormal structure is visually emphasized compared to the non-ideal structure, the size is expanded control to be displayed in at least one of a shape, a shape accompanying an auditory effect, and a dynamic animation shape).

As the apparatus 100 controls the abnormal structure to be displayed in a form that is easy to implant or identify compared to the non-abnormal structure, the abnormal structure among the plurality of structures identified in the ultrasound image is more intuitively recognized and identified compared to the non-abnormal structure. By making it possible, it can be provided so that the action on the abnormal structure can be made more quickly.

Meanwhile, the controller 130 may control the operation of the mask device 200 worn on the face as the body part 3 of the subject 2 . In response to the control (operation control) by the controller 130 , the acquisition unit 110 in the apparatus 100 transmits ultrasound data from the transducer 220 provided in the mask device 200 to the wireless communication 300 . can be obtained through A more detailed description of the mask device 200 may be more easily understood with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 .

Hereinafter, in describing the mask device 200, the 9 o'clock-3 o'clock direction is the left-right direction based on the drawings of FIGS. 3 and 6, and the 12 o'clock-6 o'clock direction is the vertical direction based on the drawing of FIG. 6 , 12 o'clock - 6 o'clock will be referred to as the front-rear direction. However, this direction setting is only an example for helping understanding of the present application, and is not limited thereto.

3 to 6 , the mask device 200 includes a body 210 , a transducer 220 , a movement control unit 230 , a light emitting device 240 , a light receiving device 250 , and a pressure sensor 260 . ), a gel storage unit 270 and a gel supply nozzle unit 280 may be included.

The operation of the mask device 200 may be controlled, for example, based on an operation control command transmitted from the controller 130 of the apparatus 100 .

The body part 210 may be provided in a form that can be worn on the face part which is the body part 3 of the subject 2 . The body 210 may be made of a material such as plastic, for example, but is not limited thereto, and various materials may be applied.

Transducer 220 (transducer) may be provided on the inner surface (is) of the body portion (210). The transducer 220 irradiates the ultrasonic signal toward the face part, which is the body part 3 of the subject 2 wearing the mask device 200, and the ultrasonic signal reflected from the subject 2 (reflected ultrasonic signal) Based on the ultrasound data may be generated.

Here, the inner surface (is) of the body portion 210 is a surface that is in contact with the face portion, which is the body portion 3 of the subject 2 , and may refer to the rear surface.

The transducer 220 may be otherwise referred to as a transducer or the like. The waveform of the ultrasound signal irradiated from the transducer 220 may be, for example, a plane waveform of a planar ultrasound signal. Specifically, the waveform of the ultrasonic signal irradiated from the transducer 220 is a plane wave, which is a wave that travels while forming a straight line or a plane in the shape of a wavefront, and a wave that spreads while drawing an ellipse from the stern to the rear during advancing. That is, it may be a concept including a waveform of a diverging wave that spreads over a wider area as the distance from the sound source increases, but is not limited thereto.

In addition, although not shown in the drawings, the mask device 200 may include a communication unit (not shown), and the communication unit (not shown) wirelessly transmits ultrasound data generated by the transducer 220 to the apparatus 100 . It may be transmitted (provided) through the communication 300 .

The movement control unit 230 may connect the transducer 220 and the body 210 to each other. The movement control unit 230 responds to the control of the control unit 130 (in response to the motion control command), and moves the transducer 220 along a preset path p formed on the inner surface is of the body 210 . can be moved

Specifically, a rail 231 formed along a preset path p may be provided in the body 210 of the mask device 200 . The movement control unit 230 may be coupled to the rail 231 to be movable along the rail 231 . One end of the movement control unit 230 may be coupled to the rail 231 , and the other end of the movement control unit 230 may be coupled to the transducer 220 . Here, one end of the movement control unit 230 may mean a front end, and the other end of the movement control unit 230 may mean a rear end.

The preset path p, which is the path on which the rail 231 is formed and the movement of the transducer 220 is made, may be set to enable a full scan of the face part 3 of the subject 2 . . That is, the preset path p is an ultrasound signal irradiated from the transducer 220 so that ultrasound data acquired through the transducer 220 can generate an ultrasound image of the entire face of the subject 2 . may be set as a path to be irradiated while covering the entire face of the subject 2 .

When it is detected that the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2, the control unit 130 moves the transducer 220 along a preset path p to generate ultrasound data. The operation of 200 can be controlled.

Specifically, when the control unit 130 detects that the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 , the movement control unit 230 moves the preset path p through the rail 231 . It may control the movement of the movement control unit 230 so as to move accordingly. As the controller 130 moves the movement control unit 230 , the transducer 220 coupled to the other end of the movement control unit 230 may move along a preset path p. At this time, the transducer 220 generates ultrasound data by irradiating an ultrasound signal toward the face part of the subject 2 and acquiring the reflected ultrasound signal from the subject 2 while moving along a preset path p. can As the transducer 220 generates ultrasound data while moving along a preset path p, the apparatus 100 may acquire an ultrasound image of the entire face of the subject 2 therefrom.

Determination of whether the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 (ie, determination of normal wearing) is a light emitting element 240 disposed on the inner surfaces of both sides of the mask device 200 to face each other. ) and the light receiving element 250 .

The light emitting device 240 may be disposed on the inner surface of the left side as an example of both sides of the body portion 210 to emit light. The light receiving element 250 is disposed on the inner surface of the right side facing the left inner surface of both sides of the body portion 210 , and may receive at least a portion of the light emitted from the light emitting element 240 as reception light. Accordingly, the light emitting device 240 and the light receiving device 250 may be disposed to face each other on the inner surface of the body 210 .

The light emitted from the light emitting device 240 may be, for example, LED light, but is not limited thereto.

The obtaining unit 110 of the apparatus 100 may obtain information on the amount of received light (received light amount) that the light receiving element 250 receives from the mask device 200 , and the controller 130 may control the light receiving element 250 . Based on the amount of received light received by the 250 , it may be detected whether the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 .

When the subject 2 does not wear the mask device 200 on the face, since there is no object between the light-emitting element 240 and the light-receiving element 250, the light-receiving element 250 is a light-emitting element ( 240) can receive most of the emitted light. On the other hand, when the subject 2 wears the mask device 200 on the face, the light emitted from the light emitting element 240 is obscured by the face of the subject 2, so the light receiving element 250 ) may hardly receive the light emitted from the light emitting device 240 .

Accordingly, the apparatus 100 may detect (determine) whether the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 using the amount of received light received by the light receiving element 250 .

When the amount of received light (received light amount) received by the light receiving element 250 is less than or equal to a preset light amount, the control unit 130 is configured to control the mask device 200 on the basis of the information on the received light amount received by the acquiring unit 110 . ) can be detected as normally worn on the face of the subject 2 . On the other hand, when the amount of received light exceeds a preset amount of light, the controller 130 may detect that the mask device 200 is not normally worn on the face of the subject 2 .

The controller 130 may control the transducer 220 to move along a preset path p and generate ultrasound data only when the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 . have.

At this time, when it is sensed that the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 , the controller 130 may control one surface (s) of the transducer 220 exposed toward the face of the subject 2 . ) may perform a control of moving the transducer 220 protruding from the inner surface (is) of the body portion 210 so that it is in contact with the face portion of the subject (2).

In this case, the controller 130 may allow the transducer 220 to protrude from the inner surface is of the body 210 through operation control of the movement control unit 230 . To this end, the movement control unit 230 may be provided to be extendable in length in the front-rear direction. This can be more easily understood with reference to FIG. 7 .

FIG. 7 is a case in which the transducer 220 does not protrude from the inner surface is of the mask device 200 in the mask device 200 interlocked with the ultrasound image processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present application (a) and a diagram showing an example of the protruding case (a).

Referring to FIG. 7 , the transducer 220 may be provided in a form embedded in the body 210, as shown in FIG. s) may be provided in a form exposed toward the rear surface of the body portion 210 .

At this time, when it is sensed that the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2, the transducer 220 is the inner surface ( is) may be provided in a protruding state toward the rear. In this way, in order to control the transducer 220 to protrude from the inner surface (is) of the body portion 210, the movement control unit 230 may be provided in a form expandable with respect to the front-rear direction.

That is, the state before the movement control unit 230 is expanded (state before expansion) is shown in (a) of FIG. 7, and the state after the movement control unit 230 is expanded in (b) of FIG. (expanded state) is shown.

Accordingly, when the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2, the controller 130 may control the movement control unit 230 to change the state from the pre-expanded state to the post-expanded state. . Through this, the control unit 130 extends the length of the movement control unit 230 with respect to the front-rear direction when the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face, and thus the transformer connected to the other surface of the movement control unit 230 is The deductor 220 may be controlled to protrude from the inner surface (is) of the body portion 210 toward the rear. By controlling the transducer 220 to protrude toward the rear, one surface (s) of the transducer 220 may be in contact with the face portion of the subject 2 .

In other words, when the mask device 200 is normally worn on the face of the subject 2 , the control unit 130 controls movement so that one surface s of the transducer 220 comes into contact with the face of the subject 2 . Control of extending the length of the unit 230 in the front-rear direction may be performed. By extending the length of the movement control unit 230 , the transducer 220 may be changed to a state protruding from the inner surface is of the body 210 .

The controller 130 may move the transducer 220 along a preset path p while protruding from the inner surface is. At this time, the controller 130 controls the movement of the transducer 220 with respect to the preset path p (that is, when moving the transducer along the preset path), one surface (s) of the transducer 220 . The pressure measurement value measured through the pressure sensor 260 provided in one area of the can be moved

That is, as shown in FIG. 5 , a pressure sensor 260 may be provided in one region of one surface s of the transducer 220 . In particular, the mask device 200 may include a plurality of pressure sensors 260 (eg, two) provided on one surface (s) of the transducer 220 and provided at intervals in the vertical direction.

In this case, in one example of the present application, it is illustrated that two pressure sensors 260 are provided, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the number and size thereof may be variously set.

The controller 130 may control the transducer 220 to move along a preset path p after it protrudes from the inner surface is. At this time, in moving the transducer 220 along the preset path p, the control unit 130 is measured through each of the two pressure sensors 260 provided on one surface s of the transducer 220 . The transducer 220 may be moved along the preset path p while maintaining both pressure measurement values at values belonging to the preset pressure range.

At this time, in performing control of moving the transducer 220 along the preset path p, the control unit 130 sets the pressure measurement value measured through the pressure sensor 260 to a value belonging to the preset pressure range. In order to be maintained, the degree of expansion of the movement control unit 230 (ie, the length of the movement control unit in the front-rear direction) may be adjusted based on the measured pressure measurement value.

According to this, the face shape of the subject (especially, the size of the face or the curved shape of the face) is formed differently for each individual. Accordingly, the apparatus 100 maintains the pressure measurement value measured through the two pressure sensors 260 at a value between the preset pressure ranges and moves the transducer 220, so that the mask device 200 is worn. The transducer 220 may be moved in a state in contact with the skin of each subject's face according to the face shape of each subject. As such, the apparatus 100 can control the transducer 220 to move while sweeping the entire skin of the subject's face, thereby enabling generation of an ultrasound image of the entire face of the subject. have. The apparatus 100 may acquire (generate) an ultrasound image customized to the face shape of each subject.

The gel storage unit 270 may store ultrasound gel. The gel storage unit 270 may be provided in a form embedded in one region of the body unit 210 . The gel storage unit 270 may receive and store the ultrasonic gel from the outside.

The gel supply nozzle unit 280 may be disposed adjacent to the transducer 220 as shown in FIG. 5 . The gel supply nozzle unit 280 may be connected to the gel storage unit 270 . The gel supply nozzle unit 280 may supply (spray) the ultrasound gel stored in the gel storage unit 270 toward the face region for application of the ultrasound gel to the face region of the subject 2 . That is, the gel supply nozzle unit 280 sprays the ultrasonic gel stored in the gel storage unit 270 toward the face so that the ultrasound gel stored in the gel storage unit 270 can be applied to the face of the subject 2 . (spout) can.

The controller 130 may control the operation of the gel supply nozzle unit 280 so that the ultrasound gel is supplied toward the face of the subject 2 when the transducer 220 moves along the preset path p.

In general, the ultrasound gel has acoustic resistance of the two media so that the ultrasound irradiated from the probe (or transducer) is transmitted more through the human tissue without being reflected, and the probe (or transducer) is applied to the skin of the subject. Used to move smoothly.

The apparatus 100 controls to move the transducer 220 along a preset path p in order to obtain an ultrasound image of a face part as the body part 3 of the subject 2 through the mask device 200 . When performing , the ultrasound gel stored in the mask device 200 itself (that is, the ultrasound gel stored in the storage unit) is moved along a preset path (p) from the side of the transducer 220, the subject 2 It is possible to control the operation of the gel supply nozzle unit 280 to be sprayed toward the face of the.

On the other hand, in general, in the acquisition of an ultrasound image using an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, the user (medical staff) first applies ultrasound gel to the front surface of the probe (transducer) or the target area from which the user (medical staff) wants to acquire the ultrasound image, and then applies the probe held in the hand. This is done by moving (by rubbing) with respect to the target site, but this ultrasound image acquisition technique has a problem in causing inconvenience to users (medical staff). That is, conventionally, when a user (medical staff) wants to acquire an ultrasound image, a user (medical staff) has to directly apply ultrasound gel and manually move the probe, thereby causing trouble for the user.

On the other hand, the present apparatus 100 can acquire ultrasound data from the mask device 200 worn on the face of the subject 2 and acquire (generate) an ultrasound image based thereon. ) does not need to manually control the probe to move in order to acquire an ultrasound image, so it is possible to increase user convenience and to easily acquire (generate) an ultrasound image of the entire face of the subject 2 .

In addition, the apparatus 100 controls the operation of the gel supply nozzle unit 280 when the transducer 220 is moved along the preset path p to control the ultrasonic gel from the side of the transducer 220 . Since it can be supplied toward the face of the subject 2, the user (medical staff) has to apply the ultrasound gel directly to the target area or the front of the probe (transducer) in order to acquire an ultrasound image in the prior art. can

That is, the apparatus 100 electronically controls the mask device 200 (control to move the transducer along a preset path, control to supply ultrasonic gel to the face when controlling the movement of the transducer, etc.) Through this, it is possible to automatically and easily acquire an ultrasound image of the entire face of the subject 2 . This apparatus 100 can eliminate the inconvenience (effort) of the user (medical staff) who had to manually apply ultrasound gel or manually move the probe by the user (medical staff) in order to obtain an ultrasound image in the prior art. .

The apparatus 100 simply puts the mask device 200 on the subject 2, and based on this, obtains an ultrasound image of the face part of the subject 2 through electronic control of the mask device 200. As a result, user convenience can be improved.

The present system 1000 and the present apparatus 100 provide various structures such as subcutaneous fat, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, silicone implants, and lifting wires from an ultrasound image (ie, facial ultrasound image) of the face of the subject 2 . In order to distinguish from each other, ultrasound images can be trained using an artificial intelligence technique (deep learning model). Thereafter, the present application uses the learned deep learning model to use a plurality of structures (for example, tissues in the human body in relation to anatomical structures or various materials in relation to artificial structures) included in the ultrasound image (this ultrasound image). ), the identified plurality of structures may be colored with a predetermined unique color for each structure, and overlapped on the ultrasound image may be displayed on the screen.

Hereinafter, based on the details described above, the operation flow of the present application will be briefly reviewed.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

The method of controlling the ultrasound image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 8 may be performed by the apparatus 100 (ultrasound image processing apparatus) described above. Accordingly, even if omitted below, the description of the apparatus 100 (the ultrasound image processing apparatus) may be equally applied to the description of the control method of the ultrasound image processing apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 8 , in step S11 , the acquisition unit may acquire ultrasound data for a body part of the subject from the transducer. Here, the body part of the subject may be a face part.

Next, in operation S12 , the analyzer may identify a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image through analysis of the ultrasound image generated based on the ultrasound data obtained in operation S11 .

At this time, in step S12, the analysis unit uses a plurality of training ultrasound images as input values and uses as an output value information on the type of structure matching each of the plurality of training ultrasound images as an output value. Each type of a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image may be identified by performing the analysis and applying the ultrasound image as an input to the deep learning model.

Next, in step S13, the controller may display information on the selected structure selected by the user among the plurality of structures identified in step S12 on the screen together with the ultrasound image.

In this case, in step S13, the control unit may overlap the information on the selection structure on the ultrasound image and display it on the screen, but control the display form of the selection structure displayed on the screen differently according to the type of the selection structure.

In the above description, steps S11 to S13 may be further divided into additional steps or combined into fewer steps, according to an embodiment of the present application. In addition, some steps may be omitted if necessary, and the order between steps may be changed.

The method for controlling an ultrasound image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application may be implemented in the form of a program command that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be specially designed and configured for the present invention, or may be known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magnetic such as floppy disks. - includes magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine language codes such as those generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware devices described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to carry out the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

Also, the above-described method for controlling the ultrasound image processing apparatus may be implemented in the form of a computer program or application executed by a computer stored in a recording medium.

The above description of the present application is for illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present application pertains will understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present application. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a dispersed form, and likewise components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present application is indicated by the following claims rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present application.

1000: ultrasonic image processing system
100: ultrasonic image processing device
110: acquisition unit
120: analysis unit
130: control unit
140: storage
200: mask device

Claims (11)

An ultrasonic image processing apparatus comprising:
an acquisition unit that acquires ultrasound data for a body part of a subject from a transducer;
an analyzer configured to identify a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image through analysis of an ultrasound image generated based on the acquired ultrasound data; and
A control unit for displaying information on a selected structure selected by a user among the plurality of structures on a screen together with the ultrasound image,
The analysis unit,
If a previous ultrasound image previously generated with respect to the body part of the subject before the generation of the ultrasound image exists in the storage unit, it is determined whether an abnormal structure exists among the plurality of structures in consideration of the previous ultrasound image,
The control unit is
When it is determined that the abnormal structure exists in the analysis unit, information on the abnormal structure among the plurality of structures is displayed in a form that is easier to recognize or identify in comparison with information about a non-abnormal structure that is not an abnormal structure. characterized by controlling
The body part is a face part, the ultrasound image processing apparatus. According to claim 1,
The control unit is
The information on the selected structure is displayed on the screen by overlapping the ultrasound image,
The ultrasound image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display form of the selection structure displayed on the screen is differently controlled according to the type of the selection structure. 3. The method of claim 2,
The type of the optional structure is divided into a first type related to an anatomical structure and a second type related to an artificial structure according to the properties of the structure,
The first type includes at least one of muscle, blood vessel, nerve and subcutaneous fat,
The second type is an ultrasound image processing apparatus that includes at least one of an implant and a lifting wire. 3. The method of claim 2,
The analysis unit,
The analysis is performed on the basis of the pre-learning items based on a deep learning model in which a plurality of training ultrasound images are input values and information on the type of structure matched with each of the plurality of training ultrasound images is an output value, and the deep learning model is The ultrasound image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein types of a plurality of structures in the ultrasound image are identified by applying the ultrasound image as an input. delete 3. The method of claim 2,
The analysis unit,
When the previous ultrasound image exists, a state difference between the structures in the ultrasound image based on the structure in the previous ultrasound image is calculated through comparison between the ultrasound image and the previous ultrasound image,
As a result of the calculation, it is determined that, among the structures in the ultrasound image, a structure in which a state difference is greater than or equal to a preset difference value compared to the structures in the previous ultrasound image is determined to be the abnormal structure. According to claim 1,
The control unit controls the operation of the mask device worn on the subject's face,
The acquisition unit may be configured to acquire the ultrasound data from the transducer provided in the mask device through wireless communication in response to the control. 8. The method of claim 7,
The mask device,
a body portion provided in a wearable form on the subject's face;
a transducer provided on the inner surface of the body, irradiating an ultrasound signal toward the subject's face, and generating ultrasound data based on the ultrasound signal reflected from the subject; and
and a movement control unit connecting the transducer and the body to each other, and moving the transducer along a preset path formed on an inner surface of the body in response to the control. 9. The method of claim 8,
The control unit is
When it is sensed that the mask device is normally worn on the subject's face, the transducer moves along the preset path and controls the operation of the mask device to generate the ultrasound data,
The determination of the normal wear is made by using a light emitting element and a light receiving element disposed on inner surfaces of both sides of the mask device to face each other. 9. The method of claim 8,
The control unit is
When it is sensed that the mask device is normally worn on the subject's face, a control for projecting and moving the transducer from the inner surface so that one surface of the transducer exposed toward the subject's face comes into contact with the face do,
When controlling the movement of the transducer with respect to the preset path, a pressure measurement value measured through a pressure sensor provided on one area of one surface of the transducer has a value belonging to a preset pressure range, and the transducer is moved The ultrasonic image processing device that makes it. 11. The method of claim 10,
The mask device,
a gel storage unit for storing the ultrasound gel; and
and a gel supply nozzle unit disposed adjacent to the transducer and supplying the ultrasound gel stored in the gel storage unit toward the face region for application of the ultrasound gel to the face region of the subject,
The controller may control an operation of the gel supply nozzle unit so that the ultrasonic gel is supplied toward the face when the transducer moves along the preset path.

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